Woven fabric



July 9, 1929. J. A. HENDLEY WOVEN FABRI C Filed April' 9, 192s 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 9, 1929.

J. A. HENDLEY WOVEN FABRI C Filed April 9, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 zvewor k.

Patented July, 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. HENDLEY, OF MIPDIETOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE RUSSELL g MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

WOVEN AppIication. led April 9,

The invention consists in a woven fabric embodying in novel combination and coordination, described herein and particularly pointed out in the claims at the close of the description7 features of fabric-construction bywhich are produced original and distinctive effects characterized by longitudinal bands of gathers and longitudinal ribs intervening between and alternating with said bands. I have in view', more particularly, the

production of a fabric which is elastic longitudinally, in virtue of the incorporation of elastic'. cords in the said longitudinal ribs, but the principles of the invention are applicable, also, iu the production of fabric in which inelastic cords are embodied and the fabric consequently is non-elastic,

An illustrative embodiment of the invention in 'the shape of a fabric which is elastic longitudinally in virtue of the employment of elastic cords is shown in 'the accompanying drawings, in` which latter,-

Fig. l is a face view of a portion of the said elastic woven fabric comprising the said embodiment, the fabric being shown in its normal contracted state.

Fig. 2 is a face view of the same, shown in an extended state.

Fig. 3'is a view on the order of a diagram,

illustrative of the fabric construction, with the fibrous threads and elastic cords separated from one, another so as to render the relations of the threads and cordsto bne another more plainly apparent.

Having reference more particularly to Figs. l and 2,-Longitudinal bands of gathers such as aforesaid are represented at 1, 1, &c., and at 2,2, &c.,' are shown longitudinal ribs such as aforesaid, intervening between and alternating with said bands of gathers, as mentioned. In Fig. 1 the gathers and the ribs are shown as they appear in the normal contracted state of an elastic fabric, and as they appear in the case of non-elastic fabric. Fig. 2 shows the appearance thereof in the extended state of an elastic fabric. The prominence of the ribs 2, 2, is due in part to the employment of the cords 3, 3, &c., as coresor stuffers within the said ribs.

The component elements of the fabric whichy is illustratedl in the drawings are `fibrous warp-threads 5, 5, (shown best in Fig. 3), fibrous weft 6, (Fig. 3), the cords 3, 3, which already have been mentioned, and

FABRIC.

'1928. Serial No. 268,420.

the leno stitching threads 4, 4, to which reference is made hereinafter. In the case of an elastic fabric the cords 3, 3, Spc., are composed of rubber; in the case of an inelastic art. The wrapping oricoating is colored appropriately to secure the desired' effect in the appearance of the fabric.

When a comparatively widerib without undue thickness, or prominence in the fabric,

is desired, eachrib contains, as in the drawings, apair of cords 3, 3, lying side by side.

Throughout the Width. of the fabric thefibrous warp-threads 5, 5, and the weft 6 are interwoven with` each other to produce clothtexture. As shown by, Fig. 3, the cords 3, 3, &c., lie upon the face of the said cloth-texture, and are bound to the cloth-texture b f means of the leno stitching threads 4, 4. Each of the said leno stitching threads is interwoven so that as shown in the diagram, Fig. 3, it is caught under a weft-pick at one side of the correspondin rubber cord, then passes diagonally over le topof such cord to the opposite side of the latter, then at the said opposite side of the cord is caught under an adjacent weft-pick, then passes diagonally in the reverse direction over the top of the cord so that it returns to the first-mentioned side of the cord, where it is caught under a weft-pick, and so on. Thus, the leno stitching thread zig-zags back and forth across the top of the rubber cord, and is caught by weftpicks at the opposite sides of the cord alternately. l The 'cloth-texture is of a construction providing less fulness longitudinally of the fab` ricat the cords 3, 3,'&c., than in the bands 1, 1, &c., intermediate the cords. This result is secured in the present instance through a. re-

lationship between the weft-picks and the fibrous warp-threads immediately adjacent a cord which permits the successive picks at the cord to occupy less space longitudinall of the -fabric than in the general width of a and 1.

Thus, in the present instance, as illustrated by Fig. 3, whereas the fabric-texture of the general width of the respective bands 1, 1, &c., is of a plain or tabby Weave in which each weft-pick crosses over one warp-thread and under the next, and so on, the crossings of the next weft-pick being relatively reversed, the construction at the respective ribs is such that a weft-pick oats at one face of the fabric relative to two warp-threads,I in this instance the two warp-threads between which the cord is located (one warp-thread being at one side laterally of the cord and the other warpthread being at the other side laterally of the cord), while the next weft-pick floats at the opposite face of the fabric relative to such two warp-threads. Hence, at the cord the weft-picks are permitted to come together more closely, and to overlap with each other more or less, so that in the beating-up of the weft-picks in the course of the weaving, and/or in the contraction of the cords in the case of an elastic fabric, the relative shortening of the fabric-texture at the cords causesthe fullness of the bands 1, 1 &c., to form into gathers such as those shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This shortening is promoted by the fact that the floats of the leno stitchingthread engage with weft-picks only at every second weftpick, (first at one side of the cord with the weft-pick which is at the back of the said war -threads, and then at the opposite side of t e cord with the similarly located weftpick,) leaving one weft-pick unbound by such thread at each point where the latter floats di'- agonally altogether across the4 top of the cord, (see Fig. 3), and by the further fact that at either side of the cord the leno stitching thread engages With only one weft-pick in every succeeding four. v

It will bev observed in Figs. 1 and 2 that the interlooping of the respective leno stitching threads with the weft-picks establishes a peculiar character in the case of the gathers.

As a general rule, the latter extend transversely of the respective bands 1, 1, &c., each gather extending from a point in connection with one cord at which a salient angle of the corresponding lenoxstitching thread engages with a weft-pick, to a point at the next adjacent cord where a salient angle of the corresponding leno stitching thread engages with onen of the neighboring weft-picks. This causes the gathers to form in a diagonal relationship with respect to the ribs, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, imparting a novel and characteristic eifectto the general fabric.

The marginal band 7 in Fig. 3 constitutes an edge-finish. The fabric-construction of such band is that of a twill, in which the weftpicks are capable of approaching more closey togetherthan in the bands 1, 1, &c., so that in the completed fabric, and in the contracted state thereof in the case of an elastic fabric, such band 7 is flat and without gathers. The

L'raaesa cord 31, gimped in case it is composed of rubber, around which the successive weft-picks are returned in extending back and forth across the fabric, provides for the production of a rounded bead-like edge-finish or selvage.

ln practice, color-effects are produced through employing leno stitching threads 4, el, of such color or colors may be deemed proper, contrasting or not with the color of the general cloth-texture. l have in various instances employed threads 4, 4, ac., of different colors for the various longitudinal ribs of a piece of webbingu This difference in the colors of such threads is indicated in Fig. 3 by different shadings. rlhe longitudinal lines of Heats at the back of the fabric will show the color of weft 6. This may correspond with that of the general cloth-texture or may contrast therewith, &c., as deemed desirable.

Each cordlies upon the weft-floats aforesaid, and is bound in place thereon by the leno stitching thread 4. The said floats cover the back of the cord, and they combine with one another to form at the back of the fabric a riblike effect. The gathers aforesaid are formed at the back of the fabric, as well as at the face of the latter, so that the fabric-back resembles closely the fabricLface in respect of being characterized by alternating longitudinal bands of gathers and longitudinal ribs.

n the case of a fabric rendered elastic longitudinally through the employment of cords composed of rubber, a special function performed by the zig-zagging of the leno stitching thread transversely across a cord, fromone side of the latter to the other, is that of binding the rubber cord at the respective crossings so as to prevent the rubber from creeping lengthwise in the fabric. The creeping referred to is the well-known action which is liable to occur, away from the cut end of a piece of elastic webbing that has been sewed into a garment or the like.

lVhat is claimed as the invention is 1. A woven fabric having longitudinal bands of gathers and longitudinal ribs intervening between and alternatin with said bands of gathers, comprising brons warpthreads and weft interwoven in cloth-texture, cords upon the surface of such cloth-texture at spaced intervals, and leno stitching threads y by which said cords are bound .to the clothtexture, each of the leno stitching threads interwoven so that it is caught under a weftpick at one side of the corresponding cord,

. then passes diagonally over the top of the sulting formation of the greater longitudinal fulness of the said intermediate bands into transversely-extending gathers.

2. An elastic woven fabric having longitudinal bands of gathers and longitudinal ribs intervening between and alternating with said bands of gathers, comprising fibrous warp-threads and weft interwoven in cloth-texture, elastic cords upon the surface of such cloth-texture at spaced intervals, and leno stitching threads by which said elastic cords are bound to the cloth-texture, each of the leno stitching threads interwoven so that it is caught under a weft-pick at one side of the corresponding elastic cord, then passes diagonally over the top of the elastic cord andat the opposite side of the elastic cord is caught under a subsequent weft-pick, and then passes diagonally in the reverso direc tion over the top of the elasticvcord and `at the first side of the elastic cord is caught under a subsequent weft-pick, and so on, the said cloth-texture of a con/struction providing less longitudinal fulnessl of the cloth-texture at the elastic cords than in the bands intermediate the elastic cords, with resulting formation of the greater longitudinal fulness of said intermediate bands into transversely-extending gathers.

3. A woven. fabric havinglongitudinal bands of gathers, longitudinall ribs intervening between and alternating with sald bands u on the fabric face, and longitudinal bands of) weft-fioats at the back correspondlng `1n position' with said ribs, comprising :-fibrous .warp-threads and weft interwoven in clothtexture, cords upon the surface of such clothtexture at spaced intervals,with the saidclothv texture of a construction providing/a line or series of weft-floats at ,the back of each cord, and further providing less longitudlnal full- -ness at the cords than in the'bands intermediate the cords with resulting formation of the v greater lon 'tudinal fullness of the said intermediate ands into transverselyextending gathers, and leno stitchin threads by which said cords are bound to t ie cloththen passes diagonally in the reverse direction over the top of the cord and at the first side of the..cord is caught under a subsequent weft-pick, and so on. 4. An elastic woven fabric having lon 1- tudinal bands of gathers, longitudinal ri s intervening between and alternating with said bands upon the fabric face, and longitudinal bands of weft-fioats at the 'back corresponding in position with said ribs, .com-

. said bands,

of .a construction providing a line or series of weft-floats at the back of each elastic cord, and further providing less fullness at the ,elastic cords than in the bands intermediate the elastic cords, with resulting throwing of the greater longitudinal fullness of the said bands into transversely-extending gathers, and leno stitching threads by which said elastic cords are bound to the clothtexture, 1each of the leno stitching threads interwoven so that it is caught under a weftpick at one side of the corresponding elastic cord, then passes diagonally over the top of the elastic cord and at the opposite side of the elastic cord is caught under a subsequent weft-pick, and then passes diagonally in the reverse direction over the top of ythe elastic cord and at the first side' of the elastic cord tive to warp-threads between which the cord i is located, and the next weft-pick being floated at the opposite face of the clothteXture relative to such warp-threads, whereby the cloth-texture forms less longitudinal fullness of material at a cord than in they band between two cords, with resulting formation ofthe greater'longitudinal fullness of the said band intol transverselyextending gathers, and leno stitchingthreads by which said cords are bound to the lclothtexture, each of the leno stitching threads interwoven so that it is caught under a wefti is caught under a subsequent weft-pick, and Y pick vat one side of the corresponding cord,

then passes diagonally over the top of the cord and at the opposite side of the cord is caught under a subsequent weft-pick, and then passes diagonally in the reverse direction over the top of the cord and at the first side of the cord is caught under a subsequent weft-pick, and so on. I

6. An elastic woven fabric havin longitudinal bands of gathers and longitudinal ribs intervening between and alterating with comprising -fbrous 'war threads' and weft-threads interwoven in clotlitexture, elastic cords upon the surface of such cloth-texture atv spaced intervals, with the cloth-texture construction at the respective elastic cords characterizedby one weft-pick being floated back of the elastic cord, at the prisingz-fibrous warp-threadsand weftu contiguous-face of the cloth-texture, relative130 to warp-threadsbetween which the elastic cord is located, and the next weft-pick being Heated .at the opposite face of the cloth-texture relative to such warp-threads, whereby the cloth-texture forms less longitudinal ulness of material at an elastic' cord than in the band between two elastic cords, with resulting throwing of the greater longitudinal ulness of the said band into 4tranversely-extenoling gathers, and leno stitching threads by which saidelastic vcords are bound to the cloth-teX- ture, each of the leno stitching threads interwoven. so that it is caught under a weft-pick at one side of the corresponding elastic cord,

then passes diagonally over the top of the elastic cord and at the opposite side of the elastic cord is caughtunder a subsequent weft-pick, and then passes diagonally in the reverse direction over the top of the elastic cord and at the 'irst side of the elastic cord is caught under a subsequent weft-pick, and so on.

7. woven fabric having longitudinal bands of gathers and longitudinal ribs in-A tervening between and alternating with said bands, comprising fibrous warp-threads and weft-threads interwoven in cloth-texture, cords upon the surface of such clothtexture at spaced intervals, with the clothteXture construction at the respective cords characterized by one weft-pick being floated back of the cord, at the contiguous tace ot the cloth-texture, relative to warp-threads between which' the cord is located, and the next weft-pick being floated at the opposite face ot the clotlrtexture relative to such warp-threads, whereby 'the cloth-texture cords, with resulting formation of the greater longitudinal ulness of the said band into transversely-extending gathers, and

leno stitching threads, each of which zig.

zags back and forth across the top of a cord and is caught at the opposite sides of the cord alternately by weft-lioats at the under face of the cloth-texture. v

8. An elastic woven fabric having longitudinal bands of gathers and longitudinal ribs intervening between and alternating with said bands, comprising z-tlbrous warpthreads and weft-threads interwoven in cloth-texture, elastic cords upon the surface of such cloth-texture at spaced intervals, with the cloth-texture construction at the res ective elastic cords characterized by one Wett-pick being floated back oit the elastic cord, at the contiguous tace ot the cloth-texture, relative to warp-threads between which the elastic cord is located, and the neXt weftpick being Heated at the opposite tace of the cloth-texture relative to such warp-threads, whereby the cloth-texture forms less longitudinal tulness of material at an elastic cord 'than in the band between two elastic cords,

with resulting throwing ot the' greater longitudinal fulness of the said band into transversely-extending gathers, and leno stitching threads, each of which zig-zags back and forth across the top of an elastic cord and is caught at the opposite sides of the elastic cord alternately by weft-floats at the under tace of the cloth-texture.

JAMES A. HENDLEY. 

